Method for fabricating a semiconductor structure having a stable crystalline interface with silicon

Abstract

A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure comprises the steps of providing a silicon substrate ( 10 ) having a surface ( 12 ); forming on the surface of the silicon substrate an interface ( 14 ) comprising a single atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, and a metal; and forming one or more layers of a single crystal oxide ( 26 ) on the interface. The interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, and a metal in the form MSiN 2 , where M is a metal. In a second embodiment, the interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, a metal, and a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen in the form MSi[N 1− O x ] 2 , where M is a metal and X is 0≦X<1.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure comprising the steps of: 
       providing a silicon substrate having a surface;  
       forming on the surface of the silicon substrate an interface comprising a single atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen or a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, and a metal; and  
       forming one or more layers of a single crystal material on the interface.  
     
     
       2. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the interface comprises a single atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, oxygen, and a metal. 
     
     
       3. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the material comprises one of a nitride, an oxide, and a mixture of a nitride and an oxide. 
     
     
       4. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the forming the interface step includes forming a 2×1 reconstruction. 
     
     
       5. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the forming the interface step includes forming a surface with a 2×1 reconstruction. 
     
     
       6. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the forming an interface step includes forming the interface in an ultra-high-vacuum system. 
     
     
       7. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the forming an interface step includes forming the interface in a chemical vapor deposition system. 
     
     
       8. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the forming an interface step includes forming the interface in a physical vapor deposition system. 
     
     
       9. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the forming an interface step comprises forming a single atomic layer comprises silicon, nitrogen, oxygen, and an alkaline-earth-metal. 
     
     
       10. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein forming an interface step comprises the steps of: 
       forming a half of a monolayer of an alkaline-earth-metal;  
       forming a half of a monolayer of silicon; and  
       forming a monolayer of nitrogen.  
     
     
       11. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the forming an interface step comprises the step of forming one or more monolayers of a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. 
     
     
       12. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the single crystal material comprises oxides, nitrides, or a mixture of oxides and nitrides. 
     
     
       13. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the single crystal material comprises one or more layers of oxides, nitrides, or a mixture of oxides and nitrides. 
     
     
       14. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the single crystal material comprises alkaline-earth-metal oxides. 
     
     
       15. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the single crystal material comprises perovskites. 
     
     
       16. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  1  wherein the forming an interface step comprises forming a single atomic layer comprises silicon, nitrogen, and an alkaline-earth-metal. 
     
     
       17. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  16  wherein the alkaline-earth-metal is selected from the group of barium and strontium. 
     
     
       18. A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure comprising the steps of: 
       providing a silicon substrate having a surface;  
       forming one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or a mixture of oxide and nitride on the surface of the silicon substrate;  
       providing an alkaline-earth-metal on the silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or a mixture of oxide and nitride; and  
       heating the semiconductor structure to form an interface comprising a single atomic layer adjacent the surface of the silicon substrate.  
     
     
       19. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  18  wherein the heating step includes forming the interface with a 2×1 reconstruction. 
     
     
       20. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  18  wherein the steps of providing an alkaline-earth-metal and heating the semiconductor structure are accomplished in an ultra-high-vacuum system. 
     
     
       21. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  18  wherein the steps of providing an alkaline-earth-metal and heating the semiconductor structure are accomplished in a chemical vapor deposition system. 
     
     
       22. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  18  wherein the steps of providing an alkaline-earth-metal and heating the semiconductor structure are accomplished in a physical vapor deposition system. 
     
     
       23. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  18  wherein the heating step includes forming an interface having a single atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, oxygen, and an alkaline-earth-metal. 
     
     
       24. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  18  wherein heating step includes forming an interface step comprises the steps of: 
       forming a half of a monolayer of an alkaline-earth-metal;  
       forming a half of a monolayer of silicon; and  
       forming a monolayer of nitrogen.  
     
     
       25. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  18  wherein heating step includes forming an interface step comprises the steps of: 
       forming a half of a monolayer of an alkaline-earth-metal;  
       forming a half of a monolayer of silicon; and  
       forming a monolayer of nitrogen and oxygen.  
     
     
       26. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  18  wherein heating step includes forming one or more monolayers of a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. 
     
     
       27. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  18  wherein the heating step includes forming an interface having a single atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, and an alkaline-earth-metal. 
     
     
       28. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  27  wherein the alkaline-earth-metal is selected from the group of barium and strontium. 
     
     
       29. A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure comprising the steps of: 
       providing a silicon substrate having a surface;  
       providing an alkaline-earth-metal on the surface of the silicon substrate; and  
       providing silicon and nitrogen to form an interface comprising a single atomic interface with the surface of the silicon substrate.  
     
     
       30. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  29  the step of providing silicon and nitrogen to form an interface also includes providing oxygen. 
     
     
       31. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  29  wherein the steps of providing an alkaline-earth-metal and providing silicon and nitrogen are accomplished in an ultra-high-vacuum system. 
     
     
       32. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  29  wherein the steps of providing an alkaline-earth-metal and providing silicon and nitrogen are accomplished in a chemical vapor deposition system. 
     
     
       33. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  29  wherein the steps of providing an alkaline-earth-metal and providing silicon and nitrogen are accomplished in a physical vapor deposition system. 
     
     
       34. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  29  wherein the providing silicon and nitrogen step comprises the steps of: 
       forming a half of a monolayer of an alkaline-earth-metal;  
       forming a half of a monolayer of silicon; and  
       forming a monolayer of nitrogen.  
     
     
       35. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  29  wherein the forming an interface step comprises the step of forming one or more monolayers of a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. 
     
     
       36. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  29  wherein the providing silicon and nitrogen step comprises forming a single atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, and an alkaline-earth-metal. 
     
     
       37. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  36  wherein the alkaline-earth-metal is selected from the group of barium and strontium. 
     
     
       38. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  29  wherein the providing silicon and nitrogen step comprises forming an interface having a 2×1 reconstruction. 
     
     
       39. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  30  wherein the providing silicon and nitrogen step comprises the steps of: 
       forming a half of a monolayer of an alkaline-earth-metal;  
       forming a half of a monolayer of silicon; and  
       forming a monolayer of nitrogen and oxygen.  
     
     
       40. The method of fabricating a semiconductor structure of claim  8  wherein the heating step includes forming a surface with a 2×1 reconstruction.